News from Czech beer scene plus some more stuff. Na zdravi!

Debunking “8 Beers That You Should Stop Drinking Immediately”http://blog.timesunion.com/
This blog is a guest post by noted beer historian Maureen Ogle, but first a quick intro and rant of my own: There’s an article being passed around the craft beer community a lot lately called 8 Beers That You Should Stop Drinking Immediately. At first glance it appears to be a Buzzfeed-style “listicle” complete with easy-to-read short paragraphs and big, colorful pictures. However, upon closer inspection it’s quite clear that this article is pure hokum. I’m not familiar with this website, but if you click on the author’s name “mr.z”, you’ll see he writes almost exclusively about the evils of GMOs, Monsanto, fluoride, etc. This is the kind of pseudo-scientific fluff you’ll often find in the bowels of conspiracy websites and anonymous forums. And while I’m not a fan of these things, I don’t rely on articles that cite no sources for accurate information on these types of issues (false information on the internet – what the….!?). The fact this article exists doesn’t bother me. What has irked me to no end is the fact people within the craft beer community are spreading this drivel around and believing it! I can’t count the number of people that have sent me a link to this as if they’ve just taken the red pill and awoken to reality, when they’ve just been duped by some huckster.

Crowdfunding craft beer: Viable business strategy or market fad?http://www.craftbrewingbusiness.comCrowdfunding is a new-school way for cash-strapped entrepreneurs to both involve fans in brand expansion as well as gain the funds necessary to reach business goals. Sounds great, right? Well, there’s no such thing as a free pint. Let’s see if crowdfunding makes sense for your business. “With the number of breweries/brewpubs/craft beer affiliate companies skyrocketing, there is only so much that private financing and bank loans can support. We offer an outlet of additional funding to these companies that was not available to them in the recent past. We feel that the craft beer market will continue to grow at a high rate, and that there is an untapped market of everyday craft beer enthusiasts that want in on the action.”

Vagabund Brauereihttp://www.slowtravelberlin.com/
Marcel Krüger profiles Wedding’s most famous crowd-sourced craft brewery…
There are many bars and pubs in Wedding. Some sell Sternenburger Pilsener or ‘Sterni’, the cheap mass-produced beer of workers and alcoholics; others sell locally produced craft beer. But only one of them has a vagabond’s bundle – dangling from the end of a stick – hanging over the entrance. Vagabund (the German word for vagabond) is a new neighbourhood brewery. Launched by three American home brewers, the venue opened a small taproom in July 2013 after a successful crowdfunding campaign (which made them Europe’s first crowd-funded brewery) that served craft beer, classic Belgian ales and lager from family breweries from the south of Germany. And, of course, their own brews.

Choosing The Right Glass For Your Beer, Wine, and Spirits: Part Onehttp://everythingontap.com/
Drinking beer, wine, and spirits can be two things. For someone who is only after intoxication, the quality of the drink, the environment of the consumption, and the accoutrements of the process are meaningless. Strawberry Hill is just as good as Château Latour. But for those of us who view beer, wine, and spirits as important parts of enjoying life, and even seeking the divine, everything matters: even glassware. The chosen drinking vessel for an adult beverage is an important part of the entire sensual experience. The right glassware for the right beverage, can enhance and emphasize the drink’s visual appeal, aroma, flavor, and even physical characteristics. This first part of this three-part series on choosing the right glassware, will focus on glassware for beer. Most of us, including me before I really started studying beer, assume that one glass is as good as another. After all, if you go to your local bar or pub, most beers are poured into the same glasses. Maybe it is a traditionally-tapered pint glass, or just a cold mug, but we are used to the idea that a glass is a glass. But once I began to really study about how to appreciate and taste beer, I then began to realize that the right glass really makes a great difference.

FOOD – A FEAST OF BEER AND MEAThttp://www.idrinkgoodbeer.com/
We are big Game Of Thrones nerds here at I Drink Good Beer so with the premier of season four hitting HBO this past weekend, we couldn’t help ourselves but to have a feast that can only be fit for a king.Using the book that Jared got for Christmas, we picked an fantastic roast recipe out of the book with a few sides to make along with it.
You can’t have a Game Of Thrones dinner without a Game Of Thrones beer. Thank the gods old and new, that Ommegang is continuing on making these themed beers for the show. They have had a blond ale, a stout and have now looked to a red ale to pair up with season four that they call Fire and Blood.

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Six Health Benefits of Beerhttp://www.brewreviewcrew.com/
When you picture a stereotypical beer drinker’s body, you might think of one thing: a beer belly. While people who drink a lot and don’t take care of themselves can develop some unnecessary weight, there are also many health benefits to downing your favorite beverage. Here at the Brew Review Crew, we decided to take point out some of the health benefits of beer, and put them into an easy to understand graphic. Cheers!